paoberle

I usually start with one fabric that I love and go from there. It can take me several weeks to pull all my fabrics together. I have to go look, then go home and think about what I have seen and how the fabrics will go together. I picture various fabrics and colors in my mind until I have all of my materials. I just am not someone who makes quick decisions. When I do decide quickly, I often am not happy.

carolynjo

I agree with finding a focus fabric you really like and using the registration dots on the selvedge for your complimentary colors.

AZ Jane

Don't be afraid to ask he girls in the shop for help. My hubby is the best at it, how did I find out? I asked his opinion. I've use him every time now!!

BettyGee

I know exactly how you feel. I agree with NJ quilter, start with the focus fabric and then work to enhance it. I usually play it safe and stay in the same family of colors at the beginning and then branch out from there. If the main body of the project is red then I lay fabrics that compliment it out and just keep going until I find the one that pleases me. Also I'm blessed to have a DH that is fantastic at combining colors.

cookie5

I have the same deficiency(: I am getting better at choosing my fabrics. I read about colors and listening carefully to the QS employees , IF they appear to know what they are doing.

tessagin

I resort to this often. I'm good as long as the selvage edge has that information.

crafty pat

I usually start out by finding one fabric I love take it home and look for a pattern then cut a scrap and go looking for fabrics that match it.That is why I have such a big stash, I never find a pattern or other fabrics to go with it. Sometimes I am lucky and the fabrics that go with it are all there and I buy them all together. I am lucky that I have always had an eye for color and have so much fun matching them up. When I first started quilting I would draw out the pattern and color it in with different colors until I found the combination I wanted for that pattern and then went shopping for fabrics with those colors. Study photos of quilts and see what others have used. It will help you learn what fabrics and colors compliment each other.

quiltingcandy

Another thing I try to do before I buy them is take them outside to see if they go together. Store lighting can alter the colors and when I get them home, I would sometimes wonder how in the world did I think they went together. Turned out it was the lighting - so now I will ask if I can take it outside for a moment. So far no one has said no.

AnneTa

Jinny Beyer's book 'Color confidence for Quilters' has been a great help for me.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/...e_For_Quilters

JENNR8R

I use the Ultimate 3-in-1 Color Tool by Joen Wolfrom. I'm often surprised that fabrics that I thought were in the same color family aren't.